Grove Issues Statement on Grand Jury Report on Fraud in the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Program

4/17/2019

HARRISBURG ¬– In response to the grand jury report on fraud in the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Program, or Medicaid, House Government Oversight Committee Chairman Seth Grove issued the following statement:

“The grand jury report laid out serious, yet not insurmountable, deficiencies in the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Program, which leaves it open to fraud at the cost of taxpayers. The attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section recovered more than $34 million for the Commonwealth over the course of two years. I must wonder how much money wasn’t recovered from nefarious people.

“The report does provide numerous recommendations to address fraud. Specifically, it cites the complexity of our current segregated model assisting in a fraud. Earlier this session, I introduced legislation to streamline the state’s Medicaid system and to reduce the chances of fraud happening in the first place.

“Under House Bill 335, mental health, substance abuse and primary care services would be better coordinated to provide the best possible care for people with complex health needs. Improved coordination would leave little room for scammers to commit fraud.

“I want the thank the members of the grand jury for their diligent efforts to address fraud, which is costing all taxpayers millions of dollars each year. Their work will help guide the Legislature, state agencies and the law enforcement as we fix these issues.”